Tip leads to arrest of theft suspect in Mandeville

A tip from a citizen led to the arrest of a Mandeville woman who allegedly stole a shopper's wallet in November and made more than $300 in purchases with the victim's credit cards.

Angela Maria Giacona

Angela Maria Giacona, 45, of 763 Libby Lane, was arrested Tuesday, five days after police made public surveillance camera photos and asked for citizens' help to identify the suspect.

The victim notified police that her wallet was stolen from her purse Nov. 19 while she was shopping at Old Navy at 3450 U.S. 190 in Mandeville, police said in a news release last week. Before the woman could cancel her credit cards, someone had made more than $300 in purchases at several stores in Mandeville, police said.

Detectives on Thursday released video images from Stage Department Store, where one of the purchases was made, and asked for the public's help to identify a woman in the photos. Police immediately began receiving tips, and one of them led investigators to Giacona, who confessed, police said Tuesday.

Giacona was booked with illegal possession of stolen things and access device fraud.